#i forgot how much i love Ankh's suit... best kaijin design ever

[meandmyechoes]

OOO 10th movie full spoilers ahead

IT WASN’T NECESSARY. I’m not even asking a question IT WASN’T NECESSARY. It honestly could be fixed just letting Ankh stay possessed with Eiji and mirrior the original’s ‘travel the world’ ending if they want nostalgic bait so bad.

OOO is open-ending, KR isn’t even a ‘strictly canon’ franchise. All we ask for is a happy ending and why do they feel like they need to go the most tragic way possible in a continuation made for the fans, and only got made because the cast fought for one?? like, both the plot and cinematography were calculated so to mirror the main series and finale, the choice to choose a less than hopeful ending feels like a deliberate U-turn to what the fans want. It feels like a fanfic because only a fanfic writer would dare to go this level of angst. Mouri wrote five episodes of the seres (20-21, 33-35) and the orgin novel, I expect a decent faithfulness from him and true, the characters is in-character enough for me, but the ending - without a bonus scene of hopeful message, feels so derailed from the orginial theming of the story. (I have never wanted a post-credits scene so bad where Ankh curse the idiot and possess his body anyway because is he going to stay possessing Shingo then??!!? without the message, the movie hasn’t even resolve that? which it raises in its own runtime???) Even Ryuki got a happy reset. I think Kobayashi not being involved is the major reason for story to diverge from her other tokusatsu/toei series. Eiji pretty much got the exact same death as Shinji???? (if i have a nickel meme) That moment I was connecting more out-universe than a viewer should even though it was an Eiji thing to do. 

(Ankh possessing Eiji as a final straw wouldn’t be ooc for him but it is against what Eiji wants (and the film has explicitly shown just a few seconds earlier) and Ankh respecting that shows his growth but I’m so angry ‘cos this is not STAR WARS, the lesson is not ‘letting go’!!! It’s learning to rely on others!! trusting others!!! And I think the ‘union’ could’ve been the culmination to it and flatter all the Ankh/Eiji fans out there!! They are like, the most two-in-one rider after the literal W. But this is me speaking as an outsider, imagine wearing the face of your loved one around like that... for who knows how long... never hearing anything... Seeing how disgusted he was by Goda imposing, I understand how that’d be the last thing he want. He has all Eiji’s memories and their time together now...But he gets to live forever without Eiji... I guess chronologically speaking, OOOxFourze is probably the last. Ankh coming back from the future just to see Eiji again, like Eiji coming back to life just to see Ankh once again.)

I just don’t understand why they have to pick the cruelest way to make an OOO sequel. I don’t think people are gonna complain if you just show us two hours of Eiji and Ankh watching ice freeze. That said, I do appreciate the parallels and seeing more of the developed/reformed Ankh. It kinds of surprised and warmed me that Ankh cares so much about Eiji, other examples like Ankh with Hina and Tajadol Eternity’s dual call I also like. I think the film could benefit from slowing down a bit with more dialogue scenes and showing us how the characters have been for the past ten years, or some more subtle differences before and after. I do think there’s an interesting parallel between Goda and Ankh but it was a bit underbaked on Goda’s side. I do enjoy Watanabe Shu and Miura Ryosuke’s acting. It was HEARTBREAKING to see them cry. When Ryon says, ‘Why did, you die?’ in just that broken-in-half four syllables I DIED.

I know writing an OOO sequel isn’t easy, given how ‘complete’ in narrative the original ending was. And given how much Shu is involved behind the scenes as well this time, I can better understand why the film is written this way. For an all-star reunion, they must’ve all read and approve of the script. This time Ankh is our pov character and I sense the theme of ‘passing on’ from Eiji to Ankh and I think that’s the direction to go. I think it’s nice for Eiji’s desire to give birth to new Ankh and his growth to be symbolic as Eiji’s legacy. In the later part of the film, when Ankh actually -- finally gets to meet Eiji, that feels authentic, and I’m really moved by the fact that Ankh helps Eiji finishes his wish instead of insisting on doing things the selfish way. Maybe it’s mutual understanding only two so intimate knows. You may also factor in Shu killing off his character Harrison Ford way (affectionate) to break out of the mould as speculation.

Even if you judge it as a toy commercial, it’s nowhere as exciting as HeiGen Final’s combo medley. So I’m gonna take that as my OOO epilogue. Maybe because HeiGenFin has already done what everyone wanted with the pair, this film feels there’s nowhere to go? It’s leaning so hard on parallelism it doesn’t even feel nostalgia bait anymore, it feels like it’s trying to copy the homework.

Plot-wise, 800-OOO is a perfectly sensible villain, but maybe the doomsday setting isn’t quite necessary? He could just come back and terrorize the city on a Tuesday. I mean they didn’t even explained how after all. Not only does it feels like a poor rehash of 555′s film, it was unnecessrily depressive. OOO was an intentionally light series to encourage people in the aftermath of 2011′s earthquake, and although we’ve ‘grown up’ now, that doesn’t equal dark and gritty.

I’m more confused than angry but mostly hurt, I feel more hurt after this or worse, having this replaced the orignial ending. I tend to push this outside my canon but I haven’t made up my mind yet but mostly I just can’t answer my own question of what does this add to the characters. Worse is I think that hurt comes more from my sympathy for the characters and I can feel them being played by this fourth dimension hand of the writer. Only in second place, do I feel hurt as an OOO fan. I did cried a little during several scens, but it felt more like a cognitive response to tear-jerking montage instead of heartfelt pain. I was found more shouting, Why. All in all, even if I haven’t already got the CSM on its initial release, this film is making me reconsider getting one. Because I don’t like the idea that I can’t imagine my faves being happy somewhere. I just don’t see the point in buying a overpriced toy to commeorate that then. Last thing, in the alternate universe where I flew over to Japan to see this, I’m sorry bestie... I would’ve flipped at the movie theater... At least I FINALLY get to meet ShuRyon in-person.